Detailed Itinerary
Day One May 5th
You touch down at Cairo airport and your adventure begins. You will be greeted by our representative in the arrival hallway and whisked off to Giza Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel.
Keep your eyes peeled for lots of amazing sights along the way.
Spend the evening getting acquainted and sharing stories and a meal together.
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger Pyramids or similar
Day Two May 6th
Giza Plateau & The Pyramids, Sphinx & Saqqara
After breakfast we travel to the Giza Plateau, and be mind blown by The Pyramids of Giza and The Sphinx. The Sphinx is one of the worlds largest sculptures and boosts the body of a lion and the head of a man. We continue our adventure with a camel ride through the Sahara, this is an optional extra.
Then onto Saqqara which contains the oldest complete stone building complex known in history, the Pyramid of Djoser, was built during the Third Dynasty.
Wow what an incredible day and having our own Egyptologist to tell the tales from days gone by, makes all this come to life! You will be filled with awe .
Breakfast included
Lunch & Dinner not included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger Pyramids or similar
Day Three May 7th
Aswan, Philae Temple, Nubian Village ,Camel Ride, Swim in the Nile River
We transfer to Cairo Airport and head to Aswan. Check into the City Max Hotel and we then take a relaxing motor boat ride to Agilkia Island to visit the awesome Philae Temple, one of the most visited Temples in Nubia. It was actually dismantled and moved to nearby Agilkia Island as part of the UNESCO Nubia Campaign project, protecting this and other complexes.
Philae Temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus.
Crossing the Nile River to the West Bank , we see the diversity in Egyptian culture and the Nubian Tribe. The Nubian Tribe have very distinct styles of homes and they are dotted along East Bank and the West Bank of the mighty Nile River. They have their own customs and traditions, we are blessed to visit a Nubian style home.
Camel riding is part of the Aswan experience and we finish off with a very refreshing dip in the Nile River ...
What a day jammed back with so much history and fun, now for some leisure time as you head out for dinner and if you wish have stroll around the local market.
Breakfast included
Lunch & Dinner not included
Tonights Sweet Sleep City Max Hotel or similar
Day Four May 8th
Abu Simbel Day Excursion (this is an OPTIONAL EXTRA not included in package price)
An early start as we journey further south to explore Abu Simbel. The complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968 to higher ground to avoid it being submerged by Lake Nasser, the Aswan Dam reservoir.
There we will explore the Temple of Ramses 11, which was carved into the mountain between 1274 and 1244 BC, The Temple of Hathor is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, the beloved wife of Rameses 11.
On our return to Aswan, we board our Nile River Cruise boat for 3 nightsTo fully discover the ancient wonders of Egypt, a cruise on the River Nile is truly an unforgettable experience. The Nile River has been Egypt's lifeline since ancient times and there is no better way to trace the passage of Egypt's history than to follow the course of the Nile.
This is a free day for those not heading to Abu Simbel.
Breakfast & Dinner included
Late Lunch
Tonights Sweet Sleep in Edfu on Amwaj Livingstone Cruise or similar
Day Five May 9th
Kom Ombo Temple (or the crocodile temple as Egyptians used to call it)
Enjoy a delicious breakfast on board. We sail to Kom Ombo to visit the Temple shared by the two gods Sobek and Horus. While this temple is shared by these two gods, due to their conflict, the ancient Egyptians felt it necessary to separate their two temples. So this unusual temple has two entrances, two court yards two colonnades, two Hypostyle halls and two sanctuaries, one side for each god.
Late afternoon we sail on to Edfu, where we will overnight
Breakfast Lunch & Dinner on board
Tonights Sweet Sleep in Edfu on Amwaj Livingstone Cruise or similar
Day Six May 10th
Edfu Temple Sail to Luxor
An early juice is served at the reception before the Edfu Temple visit.
We begin today visiting Edfu Temple. It is one of the best preserved shrines in Egypt. The temple was built in the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 237 and 57 BC. The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth and religion during the Hellenistic period in Egypt.
Our journey continues along the Nile river to Luxor via Esna.
We enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner on board. Later in the evening we can have some fun with a Belly Dancing Show.
You are free to get of the boat once we dock at Luxor and explore.
Tonight Sweet Sleep overnight at Luxor on Amwaj Livingstone Cruise or similar
Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included On board boat
Day 7 May 11th
Valley of the Kings & Queens (King Tut's Tomb & Queen Nefertari's Tomb)
Today is a very special one with many spectacular tombs and temples to visit.
We disembark from the Nile Cruise, check into our hotel and then we head off to the West Bank. West Bank is where the Valley of Kings & Queens are located.
The Valley of the Queens, is a site in Egypt where the wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. It was known then as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning "the place of beauty". It was most famous for being the burial site of many wives of Pharaohs. Pharaohs themselves were buried in the Valley of the Kings.
One of the many highlights today will be visiting Queen Nefertaris Tomb. Nefertari was the main wife of pharaoh Ramesses II and her tomb with its vivid wall paintings is one of the most beautiful tombs in Egypt.
The Valley of the Kings is where we visit the Tomb of King Tut, Tutankhamun or Tutankhamun the boy king.
Breakfast included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger Resort Achti Luxor or similar
Day 8 May 12th
Luxor & Karnak Temples, Sphinx Road, ACE Animal Care Egypt
Today we are on the East Bank of Luxor, we visit Luxor Temple and the incredible Karnak Temple. Karnak is currently the second largest ancient religious site in the world. Not far from Karnak is the Luxor Temple. Amenhotep III began its construction while Tutankhamen, Horemheb, and Ramses II all contributed to its development. Sekmut Shrine is a special place we get access to today while we are at Karnak Temple.
Luxor Temple is huge in scale, it once housed a village within its walls. Later additions include a shrine to Alexander the Great, a Roman sanctuary, and an Islamic shrine to a 13th-century holy man.
Whilst here we get to walk along Sphinx Road. An avenue of human headed sphinxes of over one and a half miles (3 km) once connected the temples of Karnak and Luxor. This road was used once a year during the Opet festival when the Egyptians paraded along it carrying the statues of Amun and Mut in a symbolic re-enactment of their marriage. At Luxor temple Amun was magically transformed into Min the god of fertility.
And lastly we visit Animal Care in Egypt (ACE) it is a charity dedicated to helping stop the suffering of thousands of animals in the poorest communities of Luxor by providing free veterinary care and education. This experience is pretty heart wrenching when we see the types of injuries some animals sustain. If you wish you can donate to help the animals.
Breakfast included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger Resort Achti Luxor or similar
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Day 9 May 13th
Dendera & Abydos
Today we drive around 2½ hours to Abydos and visit The Temple of Seti 1, considered to be one of the most sacred sites in all of Egypt. We then drive to Dendera and visit the Temple of Hathor, the temple dedicated to the Goddess Hathor. Hathor was the goddess of many things: love, beauty, music, dancing, fertility, and pleasure.
On our return feel free to just be, or swim in the resort pool. Dinner maybe venture out to the Winter Palace.
Breakfast included
Lunch & Dinner not included
Tonights sweet sleep Steigenberger Resort Achti Luxor or similar
Goddess Nut swallowing the sun.
Day 10 May 14th
Dahab - Sharm El Sheikh - Cairo
We catch an early morning flight to Cairo and then a flight to Sharm El Sheikh. Here we are met by our driver who will take us to Dahab. Its about a 1 hours drive.
On our journey you will be intrigued by the beauty the desert mountains hold, as we drive to Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula. Reddish pink tinged mountains meet the brilliant vivid blue oceans of the Red Sea. These mountains cradle Dahab, which boasts mesmerising snorkeling and diving, its reefs are filled with a magical underwater land.
Dahab also has restaurants which line the waterfront, they have lots of outdoor seating to take advantage of the view across the ocean to the Saudi Arabian mountains. I love the freshly squeezed juice bar, I can show you all,where my fav ones are located.
Tonight Ema, our resort has a Private Buffet dinner prepared to tantalise our tastebuds. Salads, dips, mains, vegetarian, fruit and mineral water.
I am sure we will all be looking forward to relaxing this evening after a long day.
Lunch not included
Dinner included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Coral Coast Resort Dahab
Day 11 May 15th
We begin our day with an early morning gentle Yoga session in the Addah at Coral Coast Resort. No need to worry, even if you have no yoga experience this will not be a challenge for you, its purely to give you some tools to help relax and destress. When we calm our parasympathetic nervous system we feel so much better and more at ease and comfortable in our bodies.
After breakfast we board our Private Charted Boat Safari and head off along the majestic coastline of the Sinai Peninsula. Stopping off along the way to snorkel straight of the boat. Lunch will be served whilst on board.
Breakfast & Lunch included
Dinner not included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Coral Coast Resort Dahab
Day 12 May 16th
Create a Pottery Bowl
We begin our day with an early morning gentle Yoga session in the Addah at Coral Coast Resort.
Today our hands are getting nurtured as we explore and play with some clay at the pottery session with Waafa from Kalon Pottery.
This evening you are free to explore Dahab and all the food it has on offer for dinner.
Breakfast included
Lunch Dinner not included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Coral Coast Resort Dahab
Day 13 May 17th
Blue Lagoon Ras Abu Galloum & Blue Hole
After an early morning yoga on the beach & breakfast we depart for the Blue Lagoon at approximately 8.30/9am.
Its a short 30 minute drive to the Blue Hole , where we take a local boat to the National Park of Ras Abu Galloum. We take a beach hut for the morning while we snorkel the coral reef and enjoy a beautiful lunch.
The Blue Hole is one of the worlds most famous dive locations. It is a deep, natural sinkhole and it is considered to be one of the most significant natural landmarks in Egypt.
It is believed by geologists that the submarine sinkhole formed thousands of years ago during the melting of the last ice age.
This wide hole is considered to be a great scuba diving and snorkeling site. This is due to the beautiful coral reef in the shallow lagoon surrounding its edge.
This is a perfect place to spend the day relaxing, swimming, or exploring the surrounding area. Due to its natural beauty, calm ambiance it is the perfect location for our Sound Healing.
Some refreshments will be available and we head back to the hotel at approximately 7pm.
We will head to Nemos a great restaurant in Dahab. (or similar)
Sound Healing session included
Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Coral Coast Resort Dahab
Day 14 May 18th
Hike Mt Sinai - St Catherines
What better way to start the day than with yoga in the Addah. By now I will have taught you all some simple but very effective breathing tools to enable you to calm your nervous system and to enable you to sleep easier. Im pretty sure we all need a bit of guidance in these areas.
Imagine a day of relaxing and unwinding, leisure time, today you are free to explore Dahab and its cafes or do some shopping, prehaps you fancy a massage, a foot massage or a facial .You deserve a pampering, we need time out from our adventure filled days, to settle and just be, so we are better able to absorb all the wonderful things we have experienced. As women we like to take time to process whats going on and what we have observed, Egypt may really have had a profound effect on us. Egypt can do that to you, it has a special kind of magic .
Zanooba Slow Cooking, These guys make the most delicious food. We will all join together tonight for an evening meal before we head up Mt Sinai.
Tonight we hike up Mt Sinai to St Catherines, we will witness the sunrising up and over the Saudi Arabian Mountains.
Departure from our hotel is at 11pm, the drive is a couple of hours to the starting point where we begin our hike.
Mt Sinai is where Moses is said to have had the Ten Commandments downloaded to him.
Breakfast & Dinner included
Lunch not included
Overnight Hike Mt Sinai Dahab
Day 15 May 19th
St Catherines Monastery & Desert Yoga and Meditation
We will hike through the night and once we have seen the sun rising we have the opportunity to visit St Catherines Monastery before we begin our descend down the mountain. After a tea with Bedouin women/family we head back to the resort, arriving at approximately noon.
Time for a final snorkel for those who are keen to get in the water at the Islands or take a rest after lunch.
At 3pm we head into the Wadi, its a short 20 min drive. For our final evening in the Sinai we will practise yoga and do a meditation in the desert and really feel her energy. Imagine yourself in the desert dining on Bedouin food under the stars...
Let's spend the evening star gazing ....it has to be a humbling way to end this sector of our epic adventure in Egypt.
Sunset will be at 6.30pm
Tonights Sweet Sleep Coral Coast Resort Dahab
Breakfast and Dinner included
Day 16 May 20th
Free morning till departure transfer to Sharm El Sheikh airport an onto Cairo.
We are met at Cairo Airport and transferred to our hotel.
Tonight we dine at the Cairoma Restaurant or similar
Breakfast & Dinner included
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger El Tahir Hotel or similar
Day 17 May 21st
Coptic Cairo, Citadel, Egyptian Museum of National Civilization & Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Lots on the programme today, I am sure everyone will love what's planned for you.
Coptic Cairo is a unique area with Old Cairo that has a concentration of Christian churches and other sites that date from the centuries between the decline of the pharaonic religion and the arrival of Islam when Egypt had a Christian majority. Coptic Cairo is largely built around the fort of Babylon on upon the remains of its walls.
The Citadel of Cairo or Citadel of Saladin is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo, Egypt, built by Salah ad-Din and further developed by subsequent Egyptian rulers. It was the seat of government in Egypt and the residence of its rulers for nearly 700 years from the 13th to the 19th centuries.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is a large museum in the ancient city of Fustat, now part of Cairo, Egypt. The museum displays a collection of 50,000 artifacts, presenting the Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times to the present day.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar its a feast for all of your senses, so much to browse at, the spices, the motorbikes zigzagging there way through the alleys, little stalls making fresh sugarcane juice, its super yummy!!
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger El Tahir Hotel or similar
Breakfast included
Day 18 May 22nd
Today is your last day in Cairo. Let's take a long chilled brunch at The Marriott Gardens Zamalek. It's a short drive from our hotel. Perhaps you would prefer to visit the Egyptian Museum, make sure you see King Tutankhamen's mask, also referred to as King Tut, he was pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. He ascended to the throne around the age of 9 and reigned until his death around age 19.
Shopping at the bazaar may be calling you back to buy more last minute goodies before you head home. You really are free to do as you please this afternoon.
Tonights Sweet Sleep Steigenberger El Tahir Hotel or similar
Breakfast included
Brunch & Dinner not included
Day 19 May 23rd
We will say fond farewells as everyone heads home or onward to the next destination. Or you may decide to linger a bit longer in Cairo and explore a bit more, keep eating the yummy food, head to Cairo Tower with its 360% views. And by now we have become friends for life and will have memories to cherish long after we return back home. Egypt will no doubt stay in your heart forever, it kinda has that affect on ones soul.
Transfer to Cairo International Airport.
Breakfast included
